Latest world coronavirus updates: South Korea agrees to help US, Israel closes synagogues

A 17-year-old who asked not to be named, wears a hazmat suit, gas mask, boots, and gloves as he walks past people holding a sign that says, "you need Jesus" in Washington, USA. (Image: AP)

In today's news from around the world so far, South Korea has said it said it plans to provide COVID-19 coronavirus testing materials to the United States in response to President Donald Trump’s request for help.

Meanwhile, Malaysia has announced it will extend its national lockdown by another two weeks until April 14. This will lead to a shutdown of a month for Malaysia, which reported another 172 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday to bring its total to 1,796, the highest in south-east Asia.

Elsewhere, India has now begun the world's biggest lockdown with 1.3 billion people ordered to stay at home - and Israel has ordered the closing of all synagogues.

Every one of the world's 195 countries has now reported confirmed cases.

There have been more than 425,964 confirmed cases worldwide and more than 18,957 deaths - mostly among people aged over 50, with underlying health conditions.

THANKS A MILLION NHS HEROES

It is something that has, at some point, touched all our lives. From cradle to grave, the National Health Service, and the incredible professionals who work in hospitals, GP surgeries, clinics, care homes and more, is a part of British life.

Today, more than ever, we should cherish those who dedicate themselves to our care, heedless of own health as they work tirelessly to care for people in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic. From surgeons to nurses, GPs to dentists, and cleaners to paramedics, we have never needed our NHS workers more.

So let’s show them some love, and create a living map of gratitude from every corner of Britain. By dropping a heart on the map, you’re saying you appreciate the efforts undertaken daily in the NHS.Thanks a million, NHS workers - we love you.

United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres has launched a 2 billion dollar (£1.7 billion) appeal to help vulnerable and conflict-torn countries in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and South America tackle the coronavirus pandemic and prevent Covid-19 from again circling the globe.

The UN chief called the amount a “drop in the ocean”, noting that the US Senate is seeking 2 trillion dollars — “1,000 times more” — for the American economy alone.

UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock announced a 60 million dollar (£50 million) contribution from the UN’s emergency relief fund to kick-start the appeal.

Mr Guterres said the 2 billion dollars is essential to keep economies in the developing world going so their health systems remain afloat to deal with the pandemic.

He said the money will also help countries already in the midst of a humanitarian crisis caused by conflicts, natural disasters and climate change.

He added: “The worst thing that could happen is to suppress the disease in developed countries and let it spread like fire in the developing world where then millions of transmissions will take place, millions of people will die, and the risk of mutations would be there, which means that the virus could come back.”

15:44

UKRAINE

Prime minister Denys Shmyhal announced a nationwide state of emergency, which is effective until April 24 and could be extended.

Ukraine has reported 113 cases of the coronavirus and four deaths.

Earlier this month the government closed the borders for foreigners, suspended air traffic, shut down schools and banned public events.

15:44

AUSTRALIA

Two Australians infected aboard cruise ships have died on consecutive days, taking the nation’s death toll to nine and focusing attention on the health threat posed by cruises.

Queensland Health said a 68-year-old man died in hospital in Toowoomba on Wednesday and had a serious underlying medical condition.

The man was a passenger aboard the cruise ship Voyager of the Seas that docked in Sydney on March 18, the day the Australian government banned cruise ship arrivals for a month.

A 77-year-old woman who died on Tuesday arrived in Sydney a day later aboard the Ruby Princess. Its 2,700 passengers were allowed to disembark without health warnings because the 11-day cruise to New Zealand was considered low risk. That ship has become Australia’s largest source of infections, with at least 133 passengers testing positive.

A dozen cruise ships that set out before the Australian cruise ban are due to dock soon.

15:44

CANADA

The House of Commons has passed emergency legislation to free up 82 billion Canadian dollars to help residents.

The bill will go to the Senate, where prime minister Justin Trudeau’s government is hoping for a quick passage to sign the measures into law .

15:43

HUNGARY

Foreign minister Peter Szijjarto says the border with Romania will be opened soon to those who work in the neighbouring country.

He said the arrangement for people living within 30 kilometers (19 miles) of the border – similar to one announced recently with Slovakia – is meant to protect the economy.

Hungary has closed off its borders to all passenger traffic except its own citizens, with a few exceptions.

13:59

VATICAN

Pope Francis has reaffirmed the need to protect all life, rallying Christians around the world to pray together for those sick with the coronavirus and the medical personnel who are caring for them.

Francis presided over a global prayer in which he begged for God’s mercy amid the pandemic.

The prayer fell on the 25th anniversary of a landmark Vatican document reaffirming the inviolability of all human life from conception to natural death. Francis dedicated his comments to the document, which strongly reaffirmed church teaching opposing abortion and euthanasia.

Francis said it is imperative to “relaunch this teaching in the context of a pandemic that threatens human life and the global economy”.

13:59

JAPAN

Tokyo has asked its residents to stay home this weekend to slow the spread of the coronavirus after new daily cases in the capital rose to 41.

Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike said the city is on the verge of an explosive increase in infections and must make the effort to stop them from going out of control.

The 41 confirmed new cases on Wednesday was by far Japan’s largest single-day rise since the beginning of the outbreak and comes after daily increases of 16 and 17.APAN

13:55KEY EVENT

Spain death toll surpasses China

The coronavirus death toll in Spain has shot up by more than 700, surpassing China and making the country second only to Italy as the pandemic spread rapidly in Europe.

Spain recorded a record daily increase of 738 deaths, pushing it to 3,434 overall and past China’s 3,285, the Ministry of Health said.

The country’s infections rose by 20% to 47,610, and more than 5,000 have recovered.

Spain’s health system is overwhelmed, with hotels being converted into hospitals and a Madrid ice rink being used as a temporary morgue.

Legislators are set to extend the country’s lockdown for two more weeks, to April 12.

Fernando Simon, head of Spain’s health emergency co-ordination centre, said he hoped the numbers would peak soon.

“If we are not already at the peak, we are very close,” he said. “I cannot say that we have reached it.”

Even once the numbers crest, it would be “counterproductive” to think about relaxing restrictions soon, he added.

Spain’s nursing home system has been hit particularly hard. Prosecutors are investigating several homes after troops disinfecting them discovered elderly people living among suspected coronavirus victims who had died.

Media reported that 23 residents of a Madrid retirement home had died from Covid-19 or symptoms related to the new virus, news reports said. The residence released a statement saying it had been pleading for more staff and supplies, including virus tests, after 55 of its workers had been forced to take medical leave.

National police also arrested two people in southern Spain for throwing stones and other debris at a convoy of ambulances and police vehicles as 28 elderly people were being transferred from a nursing home with a high number of infections to another facility in their town.

Italy has been the hardest-hit nation in Europe with more than 69,000 infections and 6,800 deaths.

Germany’s parliament is set to approve a series of measures that will allow the government to offer aid totalling more than a trillion euros (£900 billion) for the country of 83 million people.

Health minister Jens Spahn said Germany has about 1,000 Covid-19 patients in intensive care and its health system can cope with the numbers for now.

Germany has the fifth-largest number of infections in the world – well over 30,000 – but officials say relatively wide testing has picked up a lot of mild cases, and the death rate has been low compared with southern Europe.

Germany has 172 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

More than 428,000 people worldwide have been infected by the virus and more than 19,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. Overall, more than 109,000 have recovered.

13:01KEY EVENT

Coronavirus danger lowered but 'lockdown' remains vital

A medical Laboratory scientist tests for coronavirus at the University of Washington Medicine virology lab on March 13, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Image: Getty Images)

The UK Government has officially lowered the risk status of the COVID-19 coronavirus - but the current ‘lockdown’ remains vital if the country is to protect the NHS and save lives.

It comes as US scientists say the coronavirus is not mutating quickly suggesting a vaccine would likely give long-term protection, which they hail as “great news”.

In guidance last updated on March 21, the Gov.uk website says: “COVID-19 is no longer no longer considered to be a high consequence infectious diseases (HCID) in the UK.

GERMANY

The parliament is meeting to approve an enormous aid package drawn up by the government to cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

MPs will vote on a series of measures that will allow the government to offer assistance totalling more than one trillion euro (£939 billion).

As a precaution, members of parliament were spaced widely apart in Berlin’s Reichstag building for the session.

The government is breaking with six years of balanced budgets to borrow what finance minister Olaf Scholz called the “gigantic sum” of 156 billion euro (£143 billion) to finance the packages and cover an expected shortfall in tax revenue.

Parliament’s approval is needed to loosen legal limits on running up debt.

Mr Scholz, who is Germany’s vice chancellor, presented the package in place of Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is in quarantine at home after a doctor who gave her a vaccination tested positive for the coronavirus.

He said that “we as the German government are doing everything necessary and everything possible to cushion the economic and social consequences of managing the crisis”.

11:28

RUSSIA

Prime minister Mikhail Mishustin has ordered provincial governors to move more quickly to prepare hospital beds for coronavirus patients as the outbreak spreads across the vast country.

The government reported 658 cases of the new coronavirus in Russia, up from 495 a day before. That marked a significantly bigger daily increase compared to previous days when the number of infections increased by several dozens.

The warning to governors came a day after the mayor of Moscow told Russian president Vladimir Putin that the Russian regions were not acting energetically enough to prepare for the outbreak.

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin warned that the low number of cases in Russia compared to Europe could be explained by insufficient screening, and called for quicker action to brace up for the worst.

11:28

THAILAND

Prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha says he will take sole charge of the country’s battle against Covid-19, warning the outbreak may get much worse.

His government issued a 16-point order for the national state of emergency set for Thursday until April 30 that forbids most foreigners from entering the country and bans rallies and other gatherings in crowded places.

It does not include a curfew that had been expected as a measure to enforce social distancing and uninfected people are not confined to their homes.

SLOVAKIA

New prime minister Igor Matovic said a government plane with 100,000 badly needed high quality respirators from Turkey has landed, and they will be immediately distributed to hospitals across the country.

Since his four-party coalition government was sworn in on Saturday, Mr Matovic has repeatedly criticised the previous cabinet for a failure to secure protective equipment.

Slovakia has only 216 infected with the coronavirus but has tested only 4,200 people so far. The new government wants to increase the number of people tested daily.

10:16

ISRAEL

The government has approved new sweeping restrictions over the new coronavirus pandemic, including ordering the closing of all synagogues amid increased infections in places of worship.

Israel and the Palestinian territories are home to some of the holiest sites in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Places of worship largely had been kept open so long as gatherings have not had more than 10 people at a time who maintained a two-metre distance from each other.

Many in Israel’s insular ultra-Orthodox communities, however, have defied restrictions and gathered as usual for prayer and study, despite the pleas of rabbis and local authorities. That has led to tension with authorities and in at least one case, scuffles with police. Municipal workers also have been urging the ultra-Orthodox to go home, with little effect.

10:16

THAILAND

A charity is livestreaming its elephant herd bathing in a river to give viewers a respite from the deluge of unnerving news about the Covid-19 crisis.

John Roberts of the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation said he was thinking about how many people are cooped up at home with little to do.

Then he had an idea: “Let’s bring some elephants into people’s lives, maybe we can cheer them up.”

Wednesday’s Facebook Live broadcast showed the sun rising behind four elephants grazing and dust-bathing rather than splashing in the river, while Mr Roberts keeps up a relaxed, folksy commentary.

The foundation, located on Thailand’s border with Burma, rescues elephants from the streets of Thai cities and gives them and their handlers a natural environment in which to live and roam. It also funds research into elephant behaviour. It currently hosts 21 animals.

10:15

MALAYSIA

Malaysia has announced it will extend its national lockdown by another two weeks until April 14.

This will lead to a shutdown of a month for Malaysia, which reported another 172 new coronavirus cases Wednesday to bring its total to 1,796, the highest in south-east Asia.

Prime Minister Muhyiddini Yassin said total cases had surged from just 673 a week ago when the lockdown began, while total deaths had increased to 17.

He said the uptrend would continue for some time before new cases began to decline, requiring the government to extend the Movement Control Order that is due to expire March 31.

Mr Muhyiddin urged Malaysians to “stay calm and don’t panic”, as he assured them there would be adequate food supply.

“I know you feel burdened but I don’t have a choice,” he said, adding that he would announce a new economic stimulus programme on Friday.

Schools and non-essential businesses have been closed. Malaysians cannot travel abroad or drive to other states, but can leave home to buy food or seek treatment.MALAYSIA

10:13

INDIA

INDIA

The world’s largest democracy has gone under the world’s biggest lockdown, with India’s 1.3 billion people ordered to stay at home in a bid to stop the coronavirus pandemic from spreading and overwhelming its fragile healthcare system.

Everything but essential services like supermarkets were closed.

India has about 450 cases of the virus, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned that if he didn’t take action now it could set the country back decades.

10:13

UNITED STATES

The White House and Senate leaders of both US political parties have struck an agreement on a sweeping two trillion dollar (£1.7 trillion) measure to aid workers, businesses and the healthcare system.

The unprecedented economic rescue package – which has yet to be finalised – would give direct payments to most Americans, expand unemployment benefits and provide a 367 billion dollar (£313 billion) programme for small businesses to keep making payroll while workers are forced to stay at home.

10:12

SOUTH KOREA

The government said it plans to provide coronavirus testing materials to the United States in response to President Donald Trump’s request for help.

Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of South Korea’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said the country is willing to send chemical reagents used to extract genetic material during Covid-19 tests, but at a level that does not affect its own testing capacity.

She did not provide a detailed estimate on the size of supplies that could be shipped to the United States.

The office of South Korean president Moon Jae-in said that Mr Trump had asked during a telephone conversation between the leaders whether South Korea could send medical equipment and supplies to help the United States cope with its outbreaks.

South Korea is pushing an aggressive test-and-quarantine program that some experts say possibly contributed to its lower death toll in comparison with mainland China and hard-hit European nations.

As of Wednesday, South Korea had tested around 358,000 people while reporting 9,137 infections and 126 deaths.SOUTH KOREA

10:12

SRI LANKA

Police warned of strict legal action against the people who violate a countrywide curfew.

Officers said those who violate the curfew will be immediately arrested, even without a warrant, and legal action will be taken against them.

Within the last 24 hours, police have arrested 420 people who violated the curfew and seized 97 vehicles.

The government has imposed the curfew since Friday, as the Indian Ocean island nation struggles to contain the spreading of the virus. The number of positive cases has now jumped to 101.

GREECE

Greek police say patrol cars will be using loudspeakers to broadcast messages in 10 languages to notify people of new strict restrictions on outdoor movement.

The police say the broadcasts would be made in Greek, English, French, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, Pashto, Farsi and Dari. The recorded message warns people to stayAT home and informs them they need identification documents and special permits to venture outside.

Stringent restrictions on movement in Greece, which has a sizeable migrant and refugee population, were enacted Monday. People are only allowed out for work that cannot work from home or to buy food, exercise or visit the doctor.

13:21KEY EVENT

Tokyo 2020 Olympics must be delayed over coronavirus, says International Olympic Committee

VATICAN CITY

The Vatican is under pressure to let more of its employees work from home, after several offices remained open even after Italy shut down all non-essential industry.

Vatican employees in three different offices expressed alarm Tuesday that superiors had adopted different policies about working from home, with no uniformity among them.

The concern has been heightened because many Vatican employees live in priestly residences and eat together in communal dining rooms.

Already, members of two separate religious orders in Rome tested positive for the virus, evidence that the close quarters of religious communities can spread the virus.

11:34

SOUTH AFRICA

The country’s coronavirus cases leapt again to 554, the most of any country in Africa, as its 57 million people rushed to prepare for a lockdown.

Across Africa, 43 of its 54 countries now have cases, with the total at 1,788. Thirteen countries have reported 58 deaths. South Africa has not recorded one.

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa announced the 21-day lockdown on Monday night, following earlier decisions by Rwanda and Tunisia.

Workers in South Africa will be required to stay at home except for those in essential services including healthcare and security as well as the production and distribution of food, utilities and medical products.

Individuals can leave home only under “strictly controlled circumstances” to access essential items. SOUTH AFRICA

The country’s coronavirus cases leapt again to 554, the most of any country in Africa, as its 57 million people rushed to prepare for a lockdown.

Across Africa, 43 of its 54 countries now have cases, with the total at 1,788. Thirteen countries have reported 58 deaths. South Africa has not recorded one.

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa announced the 21-day lockdown on Monday night, following earlier decisions by Rwanda and Tunisia.

Workers in South Africa will be required to stay at home except for those in essential services including healthcare and security as well as the production and distribution of food, utilities and medical products.

Individuals can leave home only under “strictly controlled circumstances” to access essential items.

11:33

PAKISTAN

An education minister in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province says he has tested positive for the coronavirus, although he did not visit any hospital where infected people are being treated.

Saeed Ghani urged people to follow the policy of social distancing to avoid the disease. He said he still had no symptoms of the infection and he has isolated himself at home.

Pakistan has imposed a lockdown to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

The lockdown also has been extended to Pakistan’s part of disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir after a person was tested positive there.PAKISTAN

11:33

AUSTRALIA

Prisoners regarded as vulnerable to the new coronavirus and low risk to society in Australia’s most populous state would be eligible for early parole under emergency legislation being introduced to the New South Wales Parliament.

It is unclear how many of the state’s 14,000 prisoners could walk free under the legislation proposed by New South Wales attorney general Mark Speakman.

The emergency legislation includes a raft of reforms that Mr Speakman said will provide public authorities with the powers they need to respond appropriately to this once-in-a-century crisis.

11:31

INDIA

Authorities have cleared a demonstration site in New Delhi that has been continuously occupied by Muslim women since December in protest over a new citizenship law.

Shaheen Bagh was cleared early on Tuesday amid a citywide stay-at-home order.

Indian health officials say there are 446 active cases of Covid-19, and seven people have died from it. Thirty-six people have recovered.

More than 200 million of India’s 1.3 billion people have been on lockdown since Monday, including the metro areas of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai.

11:30

THAILAND

The prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha says his government has agreed to declare a state of emergency to implement stricter measures to control the outbreak.

He said his Cabinet agreed at its weekly meeting to put a one-month state of emergency into effect on Thursday. This will give the government enforcement powers not normally available to it.

11:30

UNITED STATES

Top congressional and White House officials negotiating a two trillion dollar (£1.72 trillion) coronavirus rescue package say they expect to reach a deal some time on Tuesday.

Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer say they spoke by phone with President Donald Trump as they met late into the night at the Capitol. While the sides have resolved many issues in the sweeping package, some disagreements remain.

Washington has been straining to respond to the worsening outbreak, and tempers in congress have flared. Mr Trump is musing openly about letting a 15-day shutdown expire next Monday.

11:30

CHINA

The government has lifted the tight lockdown of Hubei province that was imposed to halt the spread of the new coronavirus.

People who are cleared to do so will be able to leave the province.

The city of Wuhan, where the outbreak started in late December, will remain locked down until April 8. China barred people from leaving or entering Wuhan starting on January 23 and expanded it to most of the province in succeeding days.